Carson sworn in as 31st Under Secretary of U.S. Army

Secretary of the Army John McHugh administers the oath of office to Brad R. Carson to be the 31st Under Secretary of the Army, as his wife, Julie, holds the Bible, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014. Carson previously served as the...

Secretary of the Army John McHugh administers the oath of office to Brad R. Carson to be the 31st Under Secretary of the Army during a ceremony at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014. Carson previously served as the Army's 20th General Counsel, a position...

Secretary of the Army John McHugh congratulates Brad R. Carson, and his wife, Julie, after he administered the oath of office for Carson to be the 31st Under Secretary of the Army during a ceremony at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014. Carson previously...

Brad R. Carson delivers remarks after being sworn in as the 31st Under Secretary of the Army, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014.

Secretary of the Army John McHugh administers the oath of office to Brad R. Carson to be the 31st Under Secretary of the Army, as his wife, Julie, holds the Bible, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014. Carson previously served as the...

Secretary of the Army John McHugh administers the oath of office to Brad R. Carson to be the 31st Under Secretary of the Army during a ceremony at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014. Carson previously served as the Army's 20th General Counsel, a position...

Secretary of the Army John McHugh congratulates Brad R. Carson, and his wife, Julie, after he administered the oath of office for Carson to be the 31st Under Secretary of the Army during a ceremony at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014. Carson previously...

Brad R. Carson delivers remarks after being sworn in as the 31st Under Secretary of the Army, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, March 27, 2014.

WASHINGTON (March 27, 2014) -- Secretary of the Army John McHugh swore in Brad R. Carson as the 31st Under Secretary of the Army, and Chief Management Officer of the Army, during an informal ceremony amongst family, friends and colleagues, today, at the Pentagon.

"Brad Carson has a long and very proud history of serving this nation and knows what it's like to wear the uniform of this country," said McHugh prior to administering the oath of office.

Prior to being sworn in as the Army's second-highest civilian leader, Carson served as the Army's 20th General Counsel, a position held since 2012. In that capacity, he served as the legal adviser to the Secretary of the Army and the Army's chief legal officer.

As the Under Secretary of the Army, Carson's responsibilities include the Army's budget, diversity in the ranks, business transformation and energy efficiency initiatives.

In his remarks, Carson thanked his wife, Julie, and son, Jack, for their enduring support and spoke about his appreciation for the opportunity to continue representing the Army. He also highlighted his commitment to Soldiers, Army civilians and their family members.

"I am grateful to all of you for your public service. It is a great pleasure for me to work for the U.S. Army and to be the Under Secretary, following Dr. [Joseph W.] Westphal's steep example. I am enormously grateful for this opportunity," said Carson.

An enrolled tribal member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Carson represented the 2nd District of Oklahoma in the U.S. House of Representatives, served as a fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and as the Chief Executive Officer of Cherokee Nation Businesses.

Carson also served on active military duty as a U.S. Navy officer deployed to Iraq, assigned to the U.S. Army's 84th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion.

"The Army stands at a critical moment in its history, challenged to reshape into a leaner force still capable of meeting the nation's strategic priorities. Nonetheless, the Army's obligations remain unchanged [and] I will do everything in my power to ensure the Army meets these important, often sacred, obligations, no matter the fiscal environment," Carson said during recent testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services.

Carson's predecessor, Westphal, was confirmed March 26, by the U.S. Senate, to be the ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.